12 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • MARCH/APRIL 2022 represents to the modern consumer, and find ways to make it come alive for the players, to make it be a part of the player experience. And from an emotional point of view, who doesn’t want to play the lottery? So, how can we connect the dots such that players affiliate with all the values that Lottery represents, causing them to feel good about playing the games, feel good about being a part of a community of millions who play the lottery? R. Dernovšek: The key to connecting the players with all the values that Lottery represents is to unlock the potential of all of us who work within this industry. We need to start with ourselves, engaging all employees and lottery professionals to fully embrace the worthiness of our mission. It’s not just about being good ambassadors for lottery. The next generation of consumer is more sophisticated, more capable of recognizing authenticity and truth and seeing though marketing hype, and even brand “story”. We need to be the ones who genuinely live our cause. It is that strength of purpose and conviction that will inform the way we do business, the way we develop games and promotions and brand messaging. It informs all aspects of operations too – logistics, distribution, fulfillment, etc. – in ways that may not seem to directly shape our brand, but do in fact shine through to our audience. And insofar as CSR and support of good causes is in our own DNA, that will translate naturally into the work we do to produce the best player experience. It’s not enough to have a well-crafted 4-sentence company mission statement? R. Dernovšek: Well, you need to start somewhere but effecting material changes in the culture is definitely a lot more than a nicely-worded mission statement. It’s about everyone working together to inspire one another to truly embrace the mission with all their hearts and minds to unlock the potential of the organization to become much more than the sum of its parts. The culture supports everyone in their quest to be the best they can be. These aspirational goals may be easier said than done. But this kind of organizational cohesion is galvanizing successful enterprises all around the world to reimagine what can be accomplished and achieve so much more. It may in fact start with an inspiring and on-point mission statement, which lotteries already have. Translating that into a cultural reality - our values, our ethics, our principles and high standards - that we live up to every day produces genuine value for the players and stakeholders. Collecting funds for public good is our cause. But that still only tells us where our money goes. It tells us nothing about how we came to earn that money in the first place. Was it by taking care or our players’ wellbeing? Was it by taking care of our employees? The environment? Our impact on society as such? Was it by doing business with integrity? Demonstrating all of those is showing our values and our dedication. That is what builds communities. Let’s work together to make lottery represent something positive and meaningful for every player and nonplayer. How have your studies at the University of Cambridge on circular economy and sustainability shaped your perspective as chair of the EL Responsible Gaming and CSR Working Group? R. Dernovšek: Compared to the linear economy which uses natural resources for mass production and disposes these products after a single use, circular economy is a bigger picture philosophy that sees everything we do in an endless 360-degree cycle. It’s a systemic shift driven by design, aimed to keep products and materials in use for as much as and for as long as possible, eliminate waste and pollution and regenerate nature. It is also an economic system for business to be more efficient, more resilient, bringing new business opportunities. Instead of focusing on traditional calculus, circular economy and sustainability interventions can generate revenues, reduce costs, grow profit, improve cash-flow and financial ratios, grow value of our brand and improve share price. Yes, sustainability is a call to action to protect the planet and ensure societal inclusiveness and prosperity for all stakeholders, but it is at the same time a great vehicle of progress for the companies. It’s a business imperative. Lotteries are no exception. Besides caring about wellbeing of people in the working place and impacting the environment, our key externality to overcome is preventing addiction. By protecting minors and preventing excessive play we protect peoples’ health. All this deliver meaning to the talented employees within our own corporation. People value being a part of something they can believe in, an enterprise that not only shares their values but is invested in changing the world for the better. Sustainability includes all aspects of design, including the organic integration of employee morale and motivation with the value of the products and service and the mission and purpose of the enterprise. Are consumers willing to pay more to support brands with a stronger commitment to CSR? R. Dernovšek: Yes. Consumers have indicated that they are willing to pay more to buy brands that reflect their values. And recent research indicates that the next generation of consumers is more willing than previous generations to truly walk-the-talk. Not only do consumers say they are willing to pay more, their commitment to supporting CSR is reflected in their actual buying behaviour – they are paying more to support a good cause. Patagonia, Veja, Tesla are companies whose products cost more than other comparable brands. It is not easy, though, to build a story around your brand that is authentic and resonates with your audience. And it takes time. Lottery’s brand is authentic – service to society, integrity, and fun is actually who we are. Lottery does resonate with the consumers – I think that has been demonstrated over the last twenty months of disruption especially. And we have been building our brand and our reputation for 580 years. People value being a part of something they can believe in, an enterprise that not only shares their values but is invested in changing the world for the better.
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